Hensley Arrow: How does it REALLY work?
There have been several discussions on this hitch that have become somewhat 'controversial'. I am NOT trying to stir this controversy/bashing back up. Instead, I'd like to see a good, intelligent di...
Forum Discussion
OK, now that I am home, with a broadband connection, I have looked at Tim's video of the four bar linkage.
I see what you are showing here, but, for the TT to make the same kind of movement that you are simulating with your hand, it would essentially be pivoting at the ball. As Milt has said here, the hitch is prevented from pivoting at the ball by the two strut rods. These must be perfectly tight, or sway WILL most definitely occur.
Since the TT coupler is prevented from moving by the struts, the TT must essentially transmit all movement through the linkages, or it must sway more in a side to side motion. The struts would tend to prevent this swaying, or yawing movement of the TT tongue. So, perhaps the Hensley is only a two bar linkage.
I should try to build a model myself to show this. I am simply trying to visualize it.
Now, the movement or turning is perfectly able to be initiated from the front of the hitch, due to no linkages holding it in place.
So, based on my own use of the hitch (I have had it for about two months, and towed 2000 miles), and based on my observation here, I would maintain that the connection is, to use my own phrase, "virtually solid" when the TT is attempting to act on the TV. When the TV is initiating the movement, the hitch pivots freely. I believe that Tim's statement about the hitch is a theoretical application, but Milt's (and my own) oppinion about how the linkages work is a "real world" application.
Of course, this is only my humble oppinion, and is certainly not the voice of an expert. I certainly welcome any and all discussion about this, as it has been alot of fun to debate without everyone getting all excited.
Craig
I see what you are showing here, but, for the TT to make the same kind of movement that you are simulating with your hand, it would essentially be pivoting at the ball. As Milt has said here, the hitch is prevented from pivoting at the ball by the two strut rods. These must be perfectly tight, or sway WILL most definitely occur.
Since the TT coupler is prevented from moving by the struts, the TT must essentially transmit all movement through the linkages, or it must sway more in a side to side motion. The struts would tend to prevent this swaying, or yawing movement of the TT tongue. So, perhaps the Hensley is only a two bar linkage.
I should try to build a model myself to show this. I am simply trying to visualize it.
Now, the movement or turning is perfectly able to be initiated from the front of the hitch, due to no linkages holding it in place.
So, based on my own use of the hitch (I have had it for about two months, and towed 2000 miles), and based on my observation here, I would maintain that the connection is, to use my own phrase, "virtually solid" when the TT is attempting to act on the TV. When the TV is initiating the movement, the hitch pivots freely. I believe that Tim's statement about the hitch is a theoretical application, but Milt's (and my own) oppinion about how the linkages work is a "real world" application.
Of course, this is only my humble oppinion, and is certainly not the voice of an expert. I certainly welcome any and all discussion about this, as it has been alot of fun to debate without everyone getting all excited.
Craig
